Tag Archives: GoPro

When you’ve spent a small fortune on a good camera and you find that watching the movie clips you shoot with it makes you seasick, since it’s shaking so much, what do you do then?
Camera equipment can be ridiculously expensive, so you’re wondering “How can I fix this problem without spending too much money?”.

When I want to come really close to the rugby action and want to study individual technique in, say breakdowns, or want a good wide-angle view of the defense from behind, I use my GoPro.
To keep it from shaking when I move I need a stabilizing rig for the camera. Buying a metallic rig -even a fairly cheap one – like the Fotodiox GoTough Wedge (though certainly not the only option available) can set you back a hefty $150 or more. So instead I’ve built a small rig from plastic sewage pipes which you can get in any hardware store for around $20.

Since I built it last summer, lots of people from both local amateur clubs as well as players and PAs from major professional european rugby clubs have asked me about it and encouraged me to patent the design.
Well, to be honest, I got the idea from YouTube (where else!?) so I can’t patent it and it’s really so simple to make that anyone can do it.

This is how you make a DIY $20 GoPro stabilizing rig:

Just cut a sewage pipe into 6 parts and use 2 90° connectors, 2 45° connectors and a T-shaped connector to put it all together.

I also added some padding just to make it nicer to hold (and it also floats in water, making it easier to stabilize if you dive with it. Just make sure to seal it well to keep the water out of the pipes.)